What I think of when I hear the words “Planet Valeria”...

I'm Christian Amaya, an older brother to a "some-what" annoying sibling called Brian. Over the last sixteen year of my life I was only able to say I was a big brother to one, but things changed once my parents broke the news leaving me with a few months to spare and enjoy tranquility before being promoted as "big bro" to two.

Baby Valeria wakes up during her hospital stay.

A Galaxy Far, Far Away...

The 13th of March was a day that felt uncomfortably calm. Maybe even too calm for this hispanic household, after-all are you really latino if you don’t hear pots banging and the vacuum cleaning? Nevertheless all remained still and quiet, it was just another day of virtual school for my brother and I to follow. My mother had left the house early to visit one of her last pregnancy check ups without saying goodbye, but the sun, moon, and stars collided in secrecy for the incoming collision of a new world. The planet was growing, unstoppable, youthful, and unique. "She was something no one had ever experienced" before as my mom would put it into words.

As the sun started to position itself toward the Twelve O'clock rise, I could feel the magnitude of urgency of something covering my eyes. The silent urge could have been the test I was working on in my History class that seemed to never get done with only minutes to spare, but the door knocking and opening with a "big bang" proved otherwise. My pregnant mom informs me she is leaving to the hospital, I asked myself what could my dumb father have done, but I was worrying about the wrong person. The world that grew within was now in its most beautiful yet fragile state, she was coming in hot and fast. My test still seemed to freeze. I was in complete shock, today was the day I would get promoted to be "big brother" yet again. This time was different though, I was mature enough to understand what being a big brother meant, but my brother seemed to be unprepared for the impact Valeria would bring. Brian was panicking, his mama would have to leave the nest he buried, oh what would he do. My mother gathered her necessities and packed for the embrace that would hit. I continued my test with no time to spare and went to my final class as my brother continued to freak out about losing the title "little baby" being a mama's boy. He would never get the title back as the galaxy far far away had different plans. I waited excited, emotional, and enthusiastic about the baby planet.

Embrace for Impact

Hours had gone by like the preparation taken to launch the Falcon rockets into space; we waited impatiently for the awaited news. My dad had called me and broke the news of the expected overnight stay they would inhabit at the hospital, but no news of my sister being born. My brother and I played Minecraft and a couple of other video games with my cousin to pass the time. It was already twelve o'clock at night, and my parents were still not home.

The next day was long and constantly on edge. My brother and I continued our video game routine with our cousin - who had come to visit us and see the baby. Hours still passed until the time hit and finally aligned with the stars. My sister was finally born, and my parents had notified us during lunch. On the call my parents put together announcing they would stay a couple days longer in the hospital so I waited to see the gorgeous soul and continued to pass time. The same night I got a call from my parents after my aunt came back from the hospital to pick up my cousins and leave. My mother was shaky and croaky. I knew something was wrong for my mother to hold back her tears. My mom asked us if we were alone and we made sure no one was listening. My mom was wanting to cry before she could tell us the severity of the fragile baby I hoped to love. After each word came a strong and harder choke of congestion. The words were an instant stab to the chest. I stopped breathing and my heart seemed to skip a beat.

The Collision of Two Worlds

When my sister came into the world she was beautiful, she had to meet with her parents as soon as she came out. At first glance she was gorgeous and one of a kind. She was finally being held free from the umbilical cord in her enclosed pool, but within minutes of contact a problem occurred and seemed to consume the baby. Valeria was turning purple head to toe. Babies are born in different shades and tones, but purple wasn't one of them. My parents screamed for a nurse. The nurses came rushing in and abducted the baby. My mom was left alone with my dad. Never had she seen a person change colors like a chameleon in a sense of danger.

I wasn't in the hospital room with my mom, but I knew the pain she felt being separated from the baby in such a manner would be traumatic. Imagine being with someone for 9 months ,every hour for 7 days a week to find that the moment you split may be your last. My mom mentioned the procedures that followed but my brain was not computing anything said during the call. I told my mom not to worry and goodnight after she asked for me and my brother's prayers. I went to my room and asked for other people's prayers in respect for Valeria. “To the world [someone] may be one person, but to one person [someone] may be the world”, and even though my announcement was posted to a bunch of strangers I still somehow felt somewhat at ease. I turned off the lights and slugged into bed crying. I don't cry often, and I think I get it from my mom. The waterfall was continuous and never ending. Thoughts came in and out continuing to overheat my head with the friction of the words moving. I cried myself to sleep, a grown teenage man weak and worried. The next day Valeria was urgently moved to another hospital in Plano. The next couple of days and weeks were followed by tubes, suguries, and tests. It was sick knowing that an infant’s first existence and breath was through ventilators and IV’s. I hate needle and nerve racking visits to the doctor, so every thought of doctors and nurses scared me. Imagine being less than a month old and having 2 operated surgeries with future plans of returning.

To be continues soon..

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